The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-09-07
ROBERT T. LINCOLN.
The Ex-War Secretary Talks
Freely About His Position in
iSSS-Wouldn't be Vice
President.

IOSS-WOutQfI DC VICE
President.
/ TOLEDO, o., August 30.-The Bidds, Of
this city, in its issue to morrow win give
the report of lengthy interview bad by
one of It's representatives, with ex-Seere-
tary of War Robert T. Lincoln The in
teryiew was sought in continuation of the
canvas made BY the BLdde few weeks
ago, which showed that Mr.. Linccld was
( the favorite for Vice President Of the
large majority of those who responded.
Mr.. Lincoln received his visitors in his
Office in Chicago. His appearance is
thus described: Mr.. Lincoln is man APP
/ preaching six feet in height of splendid
! physique, and weighing probably 200
/ pounds; CHEEKY, pleasant face, especial
/ " when in conversation, framed by
brown hair and beard genial and cour-
teous in manner, with touch OF that
I ba,b0mae 50 characteristic of his father
/ and altogether the sort OF man it is pleas
ant 10 meet In the plain, easy-fitting
/ summer suit which he wore, it was hard
7 to determine from his personal appear
anee what his occupation might be. He
I certainly does not wear the professional
air of the old school lawyer. and 10 the
eve Of a stranger, rs Mr. Lincoln passes
along the street, he would probably be
classed as business nlan-perhaps one
Of the joyial spirits of the Chicago Board
of Trade.
WOULD NOT ACCEPT SECOND PLACE.
To the question as 10 what he thought
of the great preference expressed for him
self as a Vice Presidential candidate on
the Republican National ticket next year,
he replied:
simply could not accept the nomi-
nation 10 the Vice Presidency. To tske
any Office at all would be a great sacri-
I fee OF my business interests here in Chi
cago; and the Vice Presidency is not an
Office of such Importance that | could az
( ford to think of such hing most Ger
tainly should not accept the nomination
for the Vice Presidency, were it rendered
which have no reason TO think il viii
/ be-
The suggestion was made that there
really seemed more likelihood of his re-
.eiving the nomination for the Presiden-
/ cy than for the second position on the
/ ticket, and his views we're solicited as to
the contingency.
HIS WINS OF TIfR PRESIDENCY. q
Il do not think So said Mr.. Lincoln,
but since the publication Of the Blad's
Z vote, my mail has been loaded with let
( tiers and marked papers referring to the
I subject Even before that, a paper in the
! South had been persistently advocating
me as Presidential candidate. There is
also gentleman down in Western Penn
sylvania who has been doing the same
i thing; and now there are Others kind
enough to publish pleasant articles about
me. But while ] am gratified by the
kind tone of their references to myself, as
an independent matter. | greatly regret
the use Of my name in connection with
any public office whatever. / say to you
sincerely that if there were any way pos
sible by which | could stop that sort Of
thing entirely and forever | should be
I happy | have written to several per-
sons authors OF such articles, to say 50,
but they go right along regardless of my
protests. Il seems 10 be difficult for the
average American 10 understand that It
is possible for any one not to desire the
Presidency but most certainly donot."
CARES or OPTICAL LIFE
4 shadow passed over Mr. Lincoln's
usually pleasant pace as he went on: |
have seen too much of the wear and tear
of official life to ever have desire 70 re-
enter it. Though was boy when my
fathers became President, can well re-
member the tremendous burden he was
called upon to bear. True, the conduct
of the war made the cares of office then
infinitely more exacting: but have seen
enough of the inside of Washington Off
cial life to have lost all desire for il. The
Presidential Office is but a gilded prison.
The cares and worry outweigh, to my
mind. the honor which surrounds the po-
sition. All official life IS infinitely
wearisome. l had my I'LL Of it while
member Of Mr. Arthur's Cabinet, and |
made up my mind at that time, when my
official term was completed. | should re-
turn to Chicago and end my days there
in the practice of my profession.
Il am now H. he continued reflective
w. and come of long lived ancestry.
/ may reasonably. think, count on 20or
p years expectation of life. | wish
nothing better than to spend those years
in mv profess onal work. am not will
ling. either. to have them embittered by
an unsuccessful candidacy or to pass
such of them as the wear of office would
leave in the unpleasant position, TO use
no stronger word. Of retired President.
There is a fascination about public office,
especially one Of high dignity. which I
can understand. but the more fascinating
the position. the more disagreeable Is the
inevitable defeat which retires one to
private life. I have seen many men to
whom it came aftertheir aptitude for the
ordinary affairs of life had passed away,
as well as their opportunities, while their
needs remained in full force and long
ago resolved that would never, if could
help it, be III such position. | went to
Washington, in 1881. with reluctance, and
was glad to come away.
Mr. Lincoln went on to say he had
called on Senator Logan in 1884 and as
sured the Senator he WAS not a candidate
for the Presidency. He also, in passing,
referred in strong terms to the necessity
fsr coast defenses. He also declared him
self thorough protectionist and express
ell the belief that the protection policy is
growing in favor. From this the cOnyer-
sation turned to the silent colored vote
in the South, upon which Mr.. Lincoln
thus expressed himself
THE SOUTHERN PROBLEM
There is general denial that there
is intimidation or fraud in the South, on
the part of the greater portion of the
Democratic press. There is perhaps no
bulldozine, no Ku-Klux outrages. no shot
. 4